NGT Declares Varanasi Tent Cities Illegal: ₹17.12 Lakh Fine Imposed on Ganga Violators

The luxury “Tent City” project in Varanasi, which was supposed to be a crown jewel of spiritual tourism, has officially been labeled a “violation” of the very river it was meant to celebrate. As of Friday, January 9, 2026, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has declared the structures illegal and ordered a combined fine of ₹17.12 lakh.

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The thing is, the “spirit of Kashi” doesn’t give you a free pass on environmental laws. Or nothing. Let’s be real, building a permanent-style city on a floodplain and allegedly dumping sewage into the Ganga is exactly what the 2016 Ganga Order was designed to stop. Those too.

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The “Ganga Tent City” Log: Field Notes

It’s an ongoing situation where the tribunal is forcing the state to choose between tourism revenue and river health.

• The “Illegal” Verdict: NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava didn’t mince words. He noted that Praveg Tent and Niraan Tent City were set up without the mandatory “Consent to Operate” (CTO) and violated the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection, and Management) Order of 2016.

• The Fine Print: The UP Pollution Control Board had actually slapped them with a daily fine of ₹12,500 back in late 2023. The thing is, that money was never recovered. The NGT has now ordered the state to get that ₹17.12 lakh within the next three months. No more extensions.

• The “Floating” Problem: A joint committee found that while the tents were “temporary,” the infrastructure wasn’t. They found red brick sewage chambers (basically soak pits) built directly into the riverbed. The thing is, these were functioning just 60 meters from the water’s edge.

• The “Turtle” Mystery: Part of the lawsuit claimed the tents were sitting on the Kachhua (Turtle) Wildlife Sanctuary. The thing is, that sanctuary was de-notified in 2020. The NGT decided to skip this specific issue since it’s already being fought in the Supreme Court.

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Tent City Violations Snapshot (Jan 2026 Order)

[Table: NGT Findings & Penalties]

And Here’s the Kicker…

The NGT has issued a blanket ban: No more tent cities on the banks of the Ganga or its tributaries. The thing is, this shuts down a major future revenue stream for the Varanasi Development Authority. And then there’s the awkward timing—the projects were inaugurated with huge fanfare by the PM in early 2023.

It’s an ongoing situation where the state government has already decided not to set up the city this season while the case was pending. Now that the verdict is in, the “luxury on the sands” dream for Varanasi looks effectively dead.

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